


Christmas Times

by Rochelle_Templer



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Christmas, Gen, how about some Christmas in July
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-23 01:40:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11392689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rochelle_Templer/pseuds/Rochelle_Templer
Summary: Throughout time and space, the Sixth Doctor experiences Christmas time in a variety of ways....





	Christmas Times

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally a gift exchange fic for the Tumblr Doctor Who community.

“Peri, I’m sure that you’re aware that I am completely in favor of learning of all sorts and that I consider in-depth study to be one of the greatest pleasures anyone can pursue.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

“And I’m sure that you would agree that I am a reasonable man who is more than willing to be gracious and attentive when exposed to a variety of cultural practices.”

“Of course you are, Doctor.”

“Then perhaps you will kindly explain to me why you have decided to redecorate my TARDIS,” the Doctor said with a huff. “Leaves all over the walls. Berries dangling over the console. A tree in the corner. Really, just how far do you intend to take this attempt at botanical refurbishment?”

“Those are not just leaves and berries,” Peri protested. “They’re holly and mistletoe. And that tree is meant to be a Christmas tree.”

“Christmas tree?”

“Yeah, sure,” Peri said. “You know, ‘deck the halls with boughs of holly’ and all that.”

“Yes, yes, I know it very well,” the Doctor said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “It just so happens that I was present when that tune was written. Or should I say re-written due to the fact that it was originally an old Welsh song that was given the English lyrics you know by a man named Thomas Oliphant. Mind you, I informed him that a better choice would have been ‘drape the halls’, but the man was fixated on doing it his way.”

“I can’t imagine what it would be like to be around someone like that,” Peri replied with a pointed stare.  “Come on, Doctor, it’s Christmas. You’ve celebrated it before, haven’t you?”

“I have,” the Doctor said. “But I fail to understand why you’ve assigned this particular date as Christmas.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already,” Peri said. “We were just on Earth and it was Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve in 1910, but still Christmas Eve.”

“I haven’t forgotten. I have an excellent memory,” the Doctor said. “But that still has no bearing on us now. We’re in the Time Vortex, Peri. When we’re here, there is no linear progression to time. So what was happening on Earth before we left means nothing as far as….”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Peri sighed. “It’s every time and no time when we’re in the Vortex.”

“Precisely,” the Doctor said. “If we really wanted to, we could celebrate Christmas a hundred times over before those people wake up on Christmas morning.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want that,” Peri said with a laugh. “That would take all the fun out of Christmas, wouldn’t it? It’d just be a routine like brushing your teeth, going to work, or now that I’m with you, running down corridors.” Peri attached a wreath to the wall next to the doors before turning back to face the Doctor again.

“Ok, so maybe it is a little silly to you for me to say that today is Christmas when we’re traveling through time,” she added. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate it anyway, right? I know it’s not the same for you being a Time Lord and all, but for us people on Earth, Christmas is special. It’s not something that should be forgotten about or moved aside just because it didn’t come in the order that it’s supposed to.”

“No, no, I suppose not,” the Doctor said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “All right. Let’s celebrate. We’ll find some decorations for that tree and when we’re done, we’ll stop off somewhere that we can get some mince pies and plum pudding.”

“Ugh, do people actually eat that stuff?” Peri asked, sticking her tongue out. “I thought it was just something that was made up to sound good in songs.”

“Certainly not,” the Doctor huffed again. “And I’ll have you know that well made mince pies and plum pudding are delicacies to be savored. I can think of few desserts that encapsulate Christmas quite like they do. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them.”

“Whatever you say, Doctor,” Peri smiled ruefully. “But you better not land somewhere filled with evil Santas or renegade elves or something. Or all I’ll get you is a lump of coal.”

“Wait a minute,” the Doctor said, a smirk on his face. “Were you expecting us to exchange presents?”

“Doctor….” Peri said, putting a hand to her face. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. But I bet that you’ll never guess what I’m going to get you.”

“We’ll see about that,” the Doctor said. “Right, here we go….”

* * *

 

“Doctor, what are you doing?”

 Many years and one wardrobe change later, the Doctor was confronted with the voice of his latest companion catching him in the act. He whirled around, the last piece of a cookie still wedged between his lips. Evelyn walked into one of the kitchens on the TARDIS and immediately started to shoo him away with her hands.

“I know that I told you that you would have to wait to come in here until I was done decorating these cookies,” Evelyn said, surveying the spread she had on the counters to see which ones were missing. “And it was because I knew that you would not be able to stop yourself from sampling them.”

“I didn’t come into the kitchen with the intention to steal your creations before they were finished,” the Doctor said, indignant. “I thought perhaps that you had made another one of your chocolate cakes the other day and I had come here to see if there was any left.”

“And somehow you thought that you could find some of my cake by biting into these cookies?” Evelyn said, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Well…not exactly,” the Doctor said. “I must admit, I was…curious to see if your culinary skill extended beyond cakes. And I’m pleased to say that the inquiry was a success.”

“Flatterer,” Evelyn smiled at him. “Oh all right. Take a couple more, if you like. There will still be plenty here for me to decorate for our Christmas celebration. Not that we need to adhere to any sort of rigid tradition. I suppose I should be grateful that you’re willing to celebrate Christmas at all.”

“And why is that?” the Doctor said, snatching up another gingerbread man.

“For starters, I imagine that Christmas is not a holiday that is shared by your people,” Evelyn responded. “I suppose you might have had some exposure to it from companions you’ve had from Earth in the past. Still, Christmas can be a tricky thing.”

Evelyn reached into the cupboard in front of her and pulled out several vials of sprinkles, colored sugar and tubes of frosting. She laid them out in front of her and arranged them before speaking again.

“It is traditionally a time of great joy,” she continued. “But it’s also a time of remembrance. And memory is not always kind. Especially when we think about what we no longer have. You haven’t told me much about your life before you met me. Not the things that would reveal you in a truly meaningful way. But I suspect that you know about the kind of loss that I’m talking about. So I wasn’t sure how you would feel about setting aside a day for Christmas.”

The Doctor chewed the rest of his cookie slowly and took a step back toward the entrance of the kitchen.

“You are right,” he said. “I do know about the loss you’re talking about. But as someone once told me, Christmas is special. It’s special to you, is it not? Therefore, I believe that that means we shouldn’t forget about it simply because we might have to embrace the bittersweet with the sublime.”

“I agree,” Evelyn smiled at him. “It’s the way I feel about all history. There is much that is painful and regrettable, but that doesn’t make the time spent any less of a treasure. Now, go find something to do while I put the finishing touches on these cookies. And I’ll make us some nice hot chocolate to share after we’ve had our fill.”

“Sounds wonderful,” the Doctor smiled back. “Except….”

“Except what?”

“You won’t want to decorate that one,” the Doctor said, inching closer to the counter. “Look at it. Cracks forming along the edges.”

“I don’t see any cracks,” Evelyn said as she adjusted her glasses.

“Oh they’re there,” the Doctor said. “They may just be too minute for your eyes to see them. So I’ll spare you the frustration of dealing with a broken cookie and just take it care of it now.”

The Doctor snatched the cookie in question, along with two more beside it, and dashed toward the console room.

“Doctor….!”

* * *

 

“Doctor, where do you think we’ll be landing next?”

The Doctor looked up from his pocket watch to glance at the woman with bright red hair standing in front of him. More time had passed which meant the presence of another companion in the TARDIS. However, in what felt like an appropriate unfolding of temporal progression, it was as if he was going back in time rather than forward. He had gone back to wearing the coat he had chosen when he regenerated into this incarnation and had finally properly met a woman who he already knew.

“I’m not sure, Mel,” he answered. “Is there any particular destination that you have in mind?”

“Hmmm,” Mel said, putting a finger to her chin. “Let’s see….”

The Doctor smiled and gazed at his pocket watch for one last moment before putting it away. It had been Peri’s first Christmas gift to him. She had said that she had only bought it so he would stop complaining about the one that had been broken, but the Doctor had always believed that there had been more to it than that. Peri had also believed that the gift had come as a complete surprise. The Doctor never told her that he had deduced what she had gotten him a day before it appeared in a wrapped box under their Christmas tree.

Once it was away, he walked over to the console to check the latest vortex readings. Strands of colorful Christmas lights were strung along the edges of the column and on every wall in the room. A large plastic snowman stood next to the doors while a lavishly decorated Christmas tree stood next to the entrance of the main corridors.

“Hey, let’s go find a place where we can sing some Christmas carols,” Mel finally offered. “That’s just the thing to get us into the Christmas spirit.”

“Actually, I think I could get into it even more if I didn’t have to eat anymore of that ‘healthy’ fruitcake,” the Doctor grumbled. “Isn’t plum pudding and gingerbread cookies more traditional?”

“Traditional maybe,” Mel said. “But good for your waistline, not so much. Besides Doctor, Christmas is about a lot more than food, you know.”

“Yes, I know,” the Doctor nodded ruefully. By this point, he knew that there was no chance of recreating the decadent feasts and delightful confections that Evelyn was fond of with Mel traveling with him. Still, he had heard many of his companions mention that Christmas was a time for wishes which meant that it didn’t hurt to dream.

“Oh and we should get some Christmas crackers too while we’re at it,” Mel said, grinning. “And we can play some games….”

The Doctor smiled again as he flipped some switches. Time and his human companions had given him many holiday memories to hold onto. They made him both happy and wistful, but they were indeed treasures just the same. Thankfully, all those twists and turns through time had given him a way to both savor the past and fully appreciate the present he could enjoy now.

“And maybe if you’re good, we’ll even pick up some brandy so we can have a glass later tonight,” Mel said.

“Brandy? Not carrot juice?” the Doctor said with a smirk.

“Well…it is Christmas,” Mel smiled back. The Doctor’s own smile grew in response.

“Yes it is, Mel. Yes it is.”


End file.
